Environment New Jersey Administration To Drop Atlantic Coast Drilling Plan Working together with activists elected leaders small businesses and allies we successfully beat back a plan from the Obama Administration to drill off the Atlantic Coast for oil and gas this March The drilling plan would have allowed drilling 90 miles from Cape May endangered the Jersey Shore and tarnished the President s climate legacy Read more PREV NEXT Report Extreme Weather Map Fact Sheet Keep Reading Report Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center Stuck at the Station Public transit is more than just getting from Point A to Point B it s the future engine of success for our state with the potential to create a stronger economy cleaner environment and more equitable transportation options for low and moderate income residents Yet despite transit s clear benefit to New Jersey the state has systematically shirked its responsibility to invest the dollars necessary to create a world class public transit system that is reliable and affordable Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center 15 Years of Declining Investment in Public Transit Has Harmed New Jersey s Straphangers Economy Environment The New Jersey For Transit coalition released a new report Stuck at the Station to discuss the devastating consequences of 15 years of declining investment in New Jersey s public transit system and call for a course correction Since 2002 New Jersey s annual capital investment in maintaining repairing and expanding its core public transit assets has dropped by an inflation adjusted 19 percent even as ridership has grown by 20 percent Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center Environmental Groups Citizens File Legal Action Against Finalized NJDEP Coastal Rules An array of citizens state and local environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the New

Environment New Jersey Environment New Jersey Groundhog Day Christie and RGGI Perfect Together Governor Blows Off Legislative Regulatory RGGI Overide Trenton In a move that shocked no one in the State House the Christie Administration failed to respond to a 30 day review of the legislative regulatory override of NJDEP decision to pull us out of the rules governing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative RGGI program The RGGI program is a regional nine state compact that reduces carbon pollution from fossil fuel power plants across the Mid Atlantic and New England Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center Bridgegate in the Pines Part Deux Gov Christie Fires Pinelands Commissioner Chairman Lohbauer Today New Jersey Pinelands Commission Chairman Mark Lohbauer was replaced as Chairman by Gov Christie s Administration in a clear case of political retribution for the now former Chairman s willingness to cross the Christie Administration by supporting protection for the Pinelands including efforts to block a 22 mile gas pipeline from bisecting the National Reserve The new Chairman of the Pinelands Commission was announced as Sean Earlen Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center Environmental Groups Sue over Approval of South Jersey Gas Pinelands Pipeline The New Jersey Sierra Club and Environment New Jersey are suing the Pinelands Commission and the Board of Public Utilities on their approval of the South Jersey Gas pipeline in the Pinelands Despite previous determination that the pipeline does not fit the needs of the Pinelands the Commission s Executive Director unilaterally determined the pipeline was consistent with the Comprehensive Management Plan This decision circumvented a public hearing and further vote by the Pinelands Commission which the groups contend violates the Pinelands Protection Act The environmental groups are hoping to overturn these determinations in the New Jersey Superior

Environment New Jersey Coast for oil and gas this March The drilling plan would have allowed drilling 90 miles from Cape May endangered the Jersey Shore and tarnished the President s climate legacy Read more PREV NEXT News Release Environment New Jersey NJ Assembly Votes to Override Gov Christie on RGGI Rules The New Jersey Assembly voted to override the Christie Administration on global warming 46 32 on a virtual party line vote moving one step closer to stopping Gov Christie s attempts to remove New Jersey from the rules governing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative RGGI a popular program designed to clean up pollution from fossil fuel power plants The State Assembly will get another opportunity to reaffirm the vote in the new legislative session after a 30 day period where DEP can review the regulatory proposal The legislation ACR189 includes co prime sponsors Asm John McKeon D 27 and Asm Joe Lagana D 38 Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center Christmas Comes Early For South Jersey Gas BPU Rubberstamps Pinelands Pipeline Puts Fossil Fuel in the Stockings of the Public Local Towns and Pinelands Commissioners The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities during their December board meeting voted to approve the petition to approve the South Jersey Gas pipeline through the Pinelands National Reserve to repower B L England a historic coal peaker plant as a full time natural gas plant The decision to approve the pipeline by the BPU and repower the B L England will create the largest global warming polluter in South Jersey and circumvents the role of the Pinelands Commission Keep Reading News Release Environment America Clean water wins as Congress rejects budget rider Due to overwhelming public support the Clean Water Rule has now withstood every attack that polluters could muster

Environment New Jersey and gas this March The drilling plan would have allowed drilling 90 miles from Cape May endangered the Jersey Shore and tarnished the President s climate legacy Read more PREV NEXT News Release Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center As Paris Climate Talks Kick Off New Solar Report Shows Newark As Top City Per Capita for Solar in Northeast New Jersey s cities rank among national leaders on installed solar capacity according to an Environment New Jersey Research Policy Center Shining Cities report Newark ranks 16th among dozens of metropolitan areas analyzed the 8th per capita nationally for the amount of solar installed and the top city per capita in the New England and the Mid Atlantic regions with 78 watts of installed solar per person in the city Keep Reading Report Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center Shining Cities America s major cities have played key roles in the clean energy revolution and stand to reap significant benefits from solar energy adoption As population hubs they are home to the largest electricity markets and can have an important influence on the way we power our grid The report highlights top regional solar cities which includes Newark and makes policy recommendations on how cities can expand solar Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center Going Once Going Twice Sold After Bidding Off Shore Wind Energy Areas Sold Off the Jersey Shore to Major Wind Companies The Department of Interior completed its first ever auction of wind energy areas off the Jersey Shore this afternoon awarding two wind energy areas representing 344 000 acres off the Jersey Shore for off shore wind leasing to Res Americas and U S Wind Inc The bidding resulted in 10 bids for the South Lease Area and 8 bids

Environment New Jersey plan would have allowed drilling 90 miles from Cape May endangered the Jersey Shore and tarnished the President s climate legacy Read more PREV NEXT Blog Post Nothing to fear from clean water Russell Bassett Halloween is the annual time to celebrate all the creepy things that go bump in the night but what s really fightening are the many very real threats to our waterways and drinking water Nothing is more important to life than clean water yet few things are taken more for granted We turn on our taps or swim in a local lake without fear because we believe the systems are working to keep our water clean The fact is those systems don t always work and in many cases are failing to keep water safe Keep Reading Blog Post Paris Climate Talks The Who What Where and Why Katie Hammer On November 30th leaders from around the world will sit down and make an international agreement on how each country will work together to cut global warming pollution Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Commuters Advocates Protest NJ Transit Fare Increases Warn of Future Fare Hikes Because of Tranit Funding Crisis As NJ Transit prepares to hike fares on its rail and bus lines by 9 percent this Thursday commuters and advocates challenged Gov Christie and the Legislature to act to prevent further fare hikes and additional service cuts The October 1 fare hikes follow service cuts rolled out through September NJ Transit approved the hikes and cuts in July after the Legislature and Gov Christie failed to adequately support NJ Transit in the 2016 budget Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center Clean and Green Forum Puts Focus on Capital City in Debate on PennEast Pipeline Fracking and the

Environment New Jersey have allowed drilling 90 miles from Cape May endangered the Jersey Shore and tarnished the President s climate legacy Read more PREV NEXT News Release Environment New Jersey Research Policy Center Tired of Waiting Feds Move Forward On Off Shore Wind Leases Off the Jersey Shore The Department of Interior announced this morning the final notice of sale of leases for close to 344 000 acres off the Jersey Shore for off shore wind development The competitive lease sale has been scheduled a month and a half from now on Monday November 9 and 13 companies have qualified to bid on the two leases for sale The announcement comes after last summer s proposed notice of sale and an extensive public comment period and five years after the signing by Gov Christie of the Off Shore Wind Economic Development Act Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Research Policy Center Gov Christie Attempts To Duck EPA Clean Power Plan but Can t Ignore Climate Change The Christie Administration s decision to request a stay from the EPA s Clean Power Plan to rein in carbon pollution was criticized by Environment New Jersey The group argued New Jersey is on the front lines of climate change and needs to be a leader not a laggard and that EPA s Clean Power Plan is a sensible step to rein in carbon pollution from our power plants Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Research Policy Center EPA Clean Water Rule To Take Effect Tomorrow Protecting Wetlands More than 4 000 Miles of New Jersey Streams Developers can no longer pave over wetlands and oil companies can no longer dump into streams unheeded thanks to the Obama Administration s Clean Water Rule that takes effect tomorrow The action will protect the streams that

Environment New Jersey Global Warming Solutions No Bees No Food Go Solar New Jersey Updates We Pressured the Obama Administration To Drop Atlantic Coast Drilling Plan Working together with activists elected leaders small businesses and allies we successfully beat back a plan from the Obama Administration to drill off the Atlantic Coast for oil and gas this March The drilling plan would have allowed drilling 90 miles from Cape May endangered the Jersey Shore and tarnished the President s climate legacy Read more PREV NEXT News Release Environment New Jersey Research Policy Center Off Shore Wind Letter to Gov Christie Keep Reading Blog Post Paddling against the wind Russell Bassett For Margo Pellegrino who recently completed a 1 700 mile journey from New York to Chicago in an outrigger canoe advocating for clean water can be like paddling against the wind on a windy day Now that she s back home in Medford Lakes N J she s not slowed down any in her quest to protect our waterways and ensure clean water for all Americans Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Carbon Pollution Wild West No Longer EPA Carbon Plan Inked Huge Step on Climate To Tackle Fossil Fuel Plant Pollution Fossil fuel power plants will pollute 32 percent less nationwide by 2030 and clean energy sources such as solar wind and energy efficiency will meet more of the state s electricity needs according to limits on carbon pollution finalized today that are central to President Obama s plan to address climate change Keep Reading News Release Environment New Jersey Super Paddler Margo Pellegrino Welcomed At Rancocas Creek Homecoming After Paddling for 1 700 Miles for EPA Clean Water Rule A crowd of citizen activists and environmental advocates gathered today along the Rancocas Creek in the heart of the Pinelands to

Environment New Jersey NJ To Reduce Global Warming Pollution New Jersey once poised to play a major role in U S progress to address climate change is falling behind neighboring states in reducing carbon pollution by 2025 mainly because of its decision to pull out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative RGGI The state still ranks highly because of the 2007 Global Warming Response Act signed into law almost exactly eight years ago but the Christie Administration has failed to implement the law The report says if implemented New Jersey would see a reduction of 42 million metric tons of global warming pollution which ranks 6th in the nation in reductions Keep Reading Report Environment New Jersey Research Policy Center Path to the Paris Climate Conference U S action to cut pollution is a critical step on the path to the Paris climate talks To deliver on President Obama s pledge to reduce emissions and secure America s leadership officials at all levels of government must follow through on existing policies including the Clean Power Plan and defend them against attack Meeting the president s pledge will also require the United States to do more to reduce emissions of other global warming pollutants beyond carbon dioxide Keep Reading Report Environment New Jersey Research Policy Center Shining Rewards Solar energy is on the rise in across the nation and in New Jersey Net energy metering has been instrumental in the growth of solar energy particularly on homes and businesses Net energy metering enables solar panel owners to earn fair compensation for benefits they provide to other users of the electricity grid and makes going solar an affordable option for more people A review of 11 recent analyses shows that individuals and businesses that decide to go solar generally deliver greater benefits to the grid